'Chaozium' is happening when almost everything you know is dead yet there are new species, born through mutations caused by pollution that human race had spewed all over the Earth since the industrial revolution, by playing god. Formis' death/thrash metal is what thousands of thrashers were singing about. 'Chaozium' is just before annihilation of all the living.

This is the Polish band's third full-length album. Their earlier ones were pretty much by numbers thrash metal, a rather typical mixture of Bay Area and German legacy. 'Chaozium' is hell of a lot darker in its vibe. Chunky riffing is accompaned by and tremolo riffing and open-stringed picking. Yes, there is this cold black metal trait in now, which at times gets closer to Voivod, and at times discordant. A few more melodious lead guitars and soloing bits bring some solace into total starkness. The guitars sound kind of dry and rusty, but there's enough bite in them.

The rhythms vary a lot, from basic double bass drumming and other metal beats to slower styles, and from human to mechanic; Kreator's ominous 1992 thought-divisor 'Renewal' is what it reminds me about, also sound-wise with its snappy snare and all-around organic tones (the whole sounds organic, by the way). Due to the guitar tones used, the backboning, occasionally busy bass guitar is audible in the mix, but the drums and the vocals are leading the charge. The vocals are powerful half-human, half-beast barking with gob flying, while sometimes sounding more dry. All words are in Polish language, and it really does fits very, very well into the music. It does sound aggressive and slating. Translating the lyrics after modeling my opinions about the music indicate that I got it pretty much right on the first paragraph! So, job well done.

While the songwriting isn't much about verse-verse-bridge-chorus, this does not enter any progressive regions. More ample transitions in the songs mostly happen at their beginning or end, so in a way it is pretty straightforward. Only two songs go over that magical 4-minute boundary. But no, this still isn't suitable for radio or MTV... Ha! It is ominous, cruel and perniculous from start to finish. Formis' alloy of extreme metal styles works like a well-oiled machine. It is not typical Polish-sounding Vader/Behemoth worship, for a change.

Being damn too real a depiction of the world today, 'Chaozium' is not for all. A harsh intersection of us. It could work as an eye-opener, though. And that's exactly what mankind needs. But hey, enough of getting in too deep: If you want some working thrash/death/black metal compound, 'Chaozium' serves. It serves cold. Yet deadly.

Rating: 7½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
12/28/2018 10:32